Motor-cycle frame.



D. 3. FISHER. MOTOR CYULE'FBAME. APPLICATION FILED MAR.21, 1912.

1,056,897. Patented Mar.25,1913.

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amvemtoz Witnesses v I 1 /666 Q ftozuea o D. R. FISHER. MOTOR CYCLE FRAME. APPLIGATION FILED MAKE; 21, 1912.

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

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, 81100-11 l'oz aflozueua Witnesses Y J 2?. flan/ 2 Motor-Cycle Frames; and I the rear wheel thus relieving both the rider and the machine from shocks and jars which a citizen of the United States, residing at Taughannock Another object is to provlde a spring view of the same; Fig. 5 is an enlarged vernnrriizp s 'ra rns PATENT ornion.

DANIEL REX FISHER, OF TAUGHANNOC-K FALLS, NEW YORK.

MOTOR-CYCLE rear/in.

Application filed March 21,

To all whom it may concern:

Be 1t known that I, DANIEL REX Frsnnn,

Falls, in the county of Tompkins and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de scription of the invention, such as will enable-others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in motor-cycle frames.

One object of the invention is to provide a motor-cycle frame havingan improved construction and arrangement of springs, whereby, a yielding connection is provided between the rear portion of the frame and occur when the machine is passing over rough roads or obstruct-ions.

frame for motor-cycles and the like which will be simple, strong, and durable in construction, efficientand reliable inoperation, and which will not in any way interfere with the propelling mechanism of the motor.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a side view of-the rear portion of a motorcycle frame constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side View of the supplemental spring fork 4 removed from the machine; Fig. at is a plan tical section of the spring connection between the supplemental fork and the rigid fork of the machine.

Referring more particularly to the draw.- ings, 1 denotes the rigid fork, :2 the seat post, 3 the rear brace, 4: the motor casing, and 5 the rear wheel of a motor-cycle. These parts may he of the usual or any preferred construction.

Arranged in the rigid main fork 1 of the. frame is my improved supplemental spring or' floating fork 6, the bifurcated rear portion or arms 7 of which are disposed and work between the corresponding arms or rear portion of the rigid fork 1 and when the Specification of Letters Patent.

' formed the bearing 10 Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

1912. Serial No, 685,277.

supplemental fork is "in its normal position, the arms 7 thereof alineor are in the same horizontal plane with the adjacent portions of the rigid fork. The forward portion of the fork 6 at the point where the arms 7 join said fork is depressed or curved downwardly and forwardly as shown at 8, and said downwardly and forwardly-curved portion 8 is forked or bifurcateda-t its outer end to form attaching arms 9 which are pivot-ally connected with the opposite sides of the motor casing as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Ohthe downwardly and forwardly curved portion 8 of the 'fork 6 is for the crank shaft 11 of the crank or pedals 11 is provided with the usual sprocket car 13 with which is engaged the sprocket c ain 14 which connects withthe rear wheel 5.

The axle of the rear i the rear ends of the arms 7 of the supplemental fork inthe usual or in any suitable.

manner and said arms 7 of the supplemental fork are connected to the ends of the arms or bars of the main or rigid fork 1 by a spring connection now to be described.

The spring connection betyveen the main cylinder or spring casing 15 in which is arranged and slidably mounted'an inner cyllnderor spring casing 16, said inner cylin- 12. The crank shaft wheel 5 is secured in and supplemental forks comprises an outer derbeing of less diameter than the outer cylinderto provide between the cylinders a space 17. The upper end of the inner cylinder orcasing projects and worksthrough the upper end of the outer. cylinder, said.

upper end of the outer cylinder being closed around the inner cylinder by a reinforced or thickened flange 18 as shown. Screwed into the lower end of the outer cylinder 15 is a plunger cylinder 19 on the inner end of which is arranged a buffer ring orcushion 20 of rubber or other suitable material with which the inner end of the inner cylinder 16 is engaged, said inner end of the cylinder 16 having thereon anoutwardly projecting an nular flange 21 which is slightly curved and forms a seat for the lower end of the coil spring 22 whichis arranged in the space 17 between the inner and outer cylinders and has its upper end engaged with. the rein forced flange 18 .on the upper endof the outer cylinder as shown.

he inner surface of the plunger cylinder 19 has the same diameter as and is flush with the'inner surface of thetflllllldi cylinder 16 .25 i plunger head to slide smoothly in the cylinder. In the upper end of the plunger cylin-' der are also formed oil passages or ducts 30..

, ders or spring casings.

and slidably mounted in the plunger cylin der 19 is a plunger 23, the head of which has a close sliding engagement with the inner surface of the cylinder and the stem or rodspring 27 which acts as a buffer for the plunger which prevents the plunger head from bumpingagain'st the bushing when the plunger returns to its normal position.

In the outer surface of the plunger cylinder 19 are formed annular grooves or recesses 28 which provide oil. chambers or reservoirsand whichare connected by oil ducts 29 with the inner side of the cylinder and thus lubricate the same which causes the In the' reinforced flange 18 forming the upperfend of the outer cylinder or spring casing 15 are oilholes 31 and 32, the oil hole 31 communicating with the space 17 between the cylinders or casings, while the hole 32 communicates with the inner side of the flange 18, whereby oil may be introduced between the engaging surfaces of said flange and the inner spring cylinder or casing 16.

. The oil hole 31 is provided to permit oil to be introduced into the space 17 from which it is conducted through the oil ducts 30 to the upper groove or oil chamber 28 in the plunger cylinder and from said upperchamber flows through connecting ducts 33 to the lower chamber in said plunger thus keepingsaid chambers supplied with oil which is fed to the inner side of the plunger cylinder and plunger in the manner described. In the outer end of the inner spring casing or cylinder 16 is also formed an oil hole 3-1 through which oil may be introduced into said. cylinder or casing for lubricating the spring therein.

To one side of the outer cylinder orspring casing 15 near its lowerend is secured the upper end of. a combined fork attaching plate and plunger rod guide 35 on the lower end of which is arranged a guide collar 36 with which the lower end of the plunger rod 24 is slidably engaged. The plate 35 is 'ofl'fset to a slight extent between the loWer end of the cylinder and the collar 36 and to i said offset portion of'the plate is secured the rear end of one the other member of said fork being secured member of'the rigid fork 1,

to the plate 35 of the spring connection on theopposite side of the rear wheel, it zing understood, of course, that one of the spring connections herein described is provided on each side of the rear wheel. The ends of the arms or bars of the fork'1 are secured to the plates 35 of the spring casings by con-' necting'plates 37 which are pivot-allyv secured to the plates 35 above the offset portion therein as clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing. The ends of the fork members 1 when thus attached to the plates 35 will rest in and loosely engage the offset portions of the plates-35, said offset portions thus forming seats for the ends of the fork. The floating fork 7 when taking up a jolt or 'jarwill move in the arc of a circle and this movement will tend to draw the spring retainer ahead to a slight extent By pivotally attaching the connecting plate of thefork 1 -to the plate 35 of the spring retainer this gg slight movement of the latter will be permitted. In other words, the pivotal con motion between the connecting plate of the main fork of the machine and the attaching plate 35 will permit the 'movement of the parts without causing the plunger rod or plunger to bind in the spring casing. The rear ends of the supplemental or floating fork of the machine are convicted to the plunger rods 24 of the spring connections by brackets 38 which are preferably welded or secured to the plunger rods in such manner that said rods will not be weakened.

It will thus be seen that by providing a spring connection constructed and arranged as herein shown and connecting thereto the ends of the main and supplemental or floating forks of the machine in-the manner described, that all jolting or jars occasioned by the passage of the rear wheel over rough sur-' faces 0r obstructions will be absorbed by the springs of thev connections, thus relieving therider as well as the machine from such jars or jolts. In absorbing or taking up the jolts or jars the lighter spring 26 willabsorb the light shocks and the first part of theheavier shocks and the outer or heavier spring 22 will absorb or sustain the heavier shocks and occasioned by travel over rough roads.

It will be noted thatthe pivotal connection of the floating fork is disposed so close to the engine shaft that the tendency of the drive belt or chain to loosen is reduced to a minimum.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with ings, the construction and operation of the invention will be Various changes in the form,

jars thus reducing the racking and general Wear and t -1r of the machine the accompanying drawreadily understood with-Q out requiring a more extended explanation. proportion and the minor details of construction may be ,l' I resorted to without departing from the prin-"i ci ple or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention, as defined'in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a motor-cycle frame, a main or rigid fork, a floating supplemental fork comprisingrear arms between the arms of the main fork and having a forwardly projecting bifurcated end embracing" the motor and pivoted thereto, a bearing on said forward portion of the supplemental fork, means to connect the rear. ends of thesupplemental fork to the axle of the rear whecl, a plunger cylinder, a plunger therein, a casing inclosing said cylinder, springs in said casing and cylinder, :1 rod projecting from the plunger, connections between the rod and the supplemental fork, and a plate connecting the cylinder with the main fork.

2. In a motor-cycle frame, a main or rigid fork, a floating or supplemental'fork pivotally connected at its forward end to a rigid part of the frame and having its rear end disposed and adapted to swing between the arms of the main fork of the frame, said supplemental fork having its rear ends engaged with the axle of the rear wheel of the machine, a crank shaft bearing arranged on the floating supplemental fork near its forward end, a spring connection between the rear ends of the supplemental fork and the main rigid fork of the machine, said spring connection comprisinga plunger cylinder, a plunger slidably mounted therein and connected to the rear end of one arm of the supplemental fork, spring casings arranged on said plunger cylinder and connected to the rear end of one arm of the main fork of the frame, and springs in said casings and engaging said plunger, thereby forming a yielding connection between the' forks.

3. In a motor-cycle frame, a main or rigid fork, a floating supplemental fork pivotally connected at its forward end to a sta-.

tionary part of the frame and having its rear end disposed and adapted to swing be-- tween the arms of the main fork of the frame, said supplemental fork having its rear; ends connected with the axle of the rear wheel, a spring connection between the rear end of the supplemental and main forks of the frame, said spring connection comprising an outer casing, a plunger cylinder arranged in the lower end of said outer casing, an inner spring casing slidably mounted 1n and projectlng through the upper end of sald outer caslng, said inner Copies of this patent may be obtained for.

casing having a closed outer end and said outer casing having on its outer 'end an an nular flange, a plunger slidably mounted in. said plunger cylinder, a spring arranged between said plunger and the end of the inner cylinder, a heavier spring arranged between the inner end of the plunger cylinder and the flange on the outer end of the outer casing, a bushing arranged in the outer end of said plunger cylinder, a buffer spring mounted between the head of the plunger and said bushing, means for attaching said outer spring casing tothe main fork of the frame and means for connecting said plunger to the supplemental or floating fork of the frame, whereby, a yielding connection is provided between said forks.

4. In a'motor-cycle frame, a main or rigid fork, a floating supplemental fork comprising parallel rear arms between the arms of the main fork and having a downwardly curved forwardly projecting portion provided with a bifurcated end adapted to embrace the opposite sides of the motor and to be pivotally connected thereto, a crank shaft bearing arranged on said downwardly curved portion of the supplemental fork, means to connect the rear ends of the supplemental fork to the axle of the rear wheel of the machine, a spring connection between said supplemental fork and the main fork of the frame, said spring connection comprising a plunger cylinder, at plunger slidably mounted therein, spring casings arranged on said cylinder, springs within said cylinder and connected with said plunger whereby a yielding resistance is applied to the plunger, a fork attaching plate secured at one end to the outer spring casing of the plunger cylinder, a guide collar arranged on the opposite end of said plate, a plunger rod projecting from the plunger in said plunger cylinder and having a slidable engagement with said collar, a bracket secured to said plunger rod and adapted to be engaged with the supplemental fork, and a clamping plate to connect the fork attaching plate on the outer cylinder with the main fork of the frame. I

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEO. H. FOWLER, F. B. SMITH.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 2. 

